The University of Sheffield secured a resounding victory over Sheffield Hallam University in this year’s boxing showdown, with all participants helping to deliver an exhilarating evening of pugilism prowess.
With this year’s Varsity in full swing, Monday night’s highly anticipated event attracted hundreds of fans from both universities and beyond. The evening delivered exceptional entertainment, professional coverage, and a remarkable display of courage and confidence from each fighter.
Here’s a recap of the night’s events:
1. Ollie Fleet (UoS) vs. Sam East (SHU):
In the first bout of the evening, East started the stronger of the two and threw a greater number of punches in the opening stages.
However, Fleet soon began to grow into the contest and gained newfound confidence after throwing a nifty combination in the corner of the ring, before knocking his opponent down shortly after.
Fleet began the second round as he ended the first, and despite losing his footing at one point, he regained composure and took control of the outing. East remained resilient and threw a series of strong jabs towards the end of the round.
In the final round, Fleet continued to dominate and demonstrated relentlessness in his attacks, but Hallam’s man proved to be no walkover.
The bout ended in a hug of respect before the judges voted in favour of Fleet, who gave his university an early advantage.
Winner: Ollie Fleet (unanimous decision)
Uni of Sheffield 1-0 Sheffield Hallam
2. Cristian Ciuta (UoS) vs. Talha Farhad Rauf (SHU):
The following matchup was a back-and-forth exchange for a long period. The fighters shared an even start, with Rauf showcasing pace and great reach, while Ciuta appeared lively.
Hallam’s man displayed confidence, landing more punches, while his counterpart was forced to defend before becoming more aggressive towards the end of the round.
In the second round, despite the height and reach difference, Ciuta held on well, resulting in a pretty even affair.
However, in the final round, Hallam’s man took control, constantly turning his opponent onto the ropes and landing some solid hooks to the head.
It was evident that Rauf’s height and reach presented a clear advantage, leading to a victory in his favour.
Winner: Talha Farhad Rauf (unanimous)
Uni of Sheffield 1-1 Sheffield Hallam
3. Dolly Forrester (UoS) vs. Ilona Baksai (SHU):
The first female fight of the evening commenced with both fighters quick out of the traps. A brilliant hook from Forrester knocked down Baksai, which ignited the crowd’s excitement. Soon after, she was back on her feet and engaging in an endless exchange of punches.
While Forrester landed more significant blows, both fighters displayed an immense amount of sharpness and determination.
In the second round, Forrester started strong, issuing a continuous barrage of punches, which led to the referee giving an eight-count in her favour.
Soon after, the referee waved the match off prematurely, as Baksai’s face began to mirror the colour she represented, indicating that despite her brave resilience, she was unable to continue.
With blue declared the winner, the bout concluded with a decisive victory.
Winner: Dolly Forrester (stoppage in 2nd)
Uni of Sheffield 2-1 Sheffield Hallam
4. Michael Laryea (UoS) vs. Abdou Diallo (SHU):
Next up, we were treated to a compelling encounter between two powerful participants.
The match began at a steady pace, as both individuals took time to find their footing. Laryea managed to back Diallo into the corner with a nifty combination, which elicited excitement from the crowd. He repeated this manoeuvre shortly after, but Diallo displayed some good defence. Nonetheless, Laryea appeared to be dominating the round.
In the second round, Laryea continued to assert dominance by landing more punches than his counterpart, with the crowd rallying behind him. His pace and strategy kept Diallo defensive, but the Hallam man showed great determination despite his evident fatigue.
As the final round unfolded, Laryea maintained control, but Diallo refused to give up. Both fighters began to tire, resulting in slower and less frequent punches.
Despite Laryea’s efforts to back his opponent into the corner, Diallo managed to evade. The match turned into a gritty exchange, with punches flying from all directions.
In a split decision, the blue side emerged victorious once again, concluding a hard-fought contest.
Winner: Michael Laryea (split decision)
Uni of Sheffield 3-1 Sheffield Hallam
5. Favio Monteagudo Linares (UoS) vs. Daniel Kszton (SHU):
Linares began this one as the stronger of the two fighters. The Hallam representative displayed great footwork and delivered some smart combinations to grab a foothold in the match.
However, in the second round, Kszton discovered a fresh burst of self-assurance, resulting in a much more even affair. Despite both fighters looking eager, solid punches were scarce, with neither individual wanting to make a costly error.
As the fighters entered the final stage, they both experienced a sudden burst of energy, but the round saw a lot of clinching, with both fighters becoming desperate to sway the scorecards in their favour.
The bout ended in a split decision victory for Uni Of, who added to their impressive lead.
Winner: Favio Monteagudo Linares (split decision)
Uni of Sheffield 4-1 Sheffield Hallam
6. Pat Mullen (UoS) vs. Jack Price (SHU):
The penultimate contest of the first half of the night began with a reserved start, as both fighters carefully selected their moments to unleash.
As time ticked on, the arena became aware of the undeniable power behind Mullen’s strikes, culminating in an unreal right hook that landed squarely on Price’s face, sending him crashing to the canvas in what seemed like slow motion.
The crowd erupted in excitement as the referee swiftly waved off the contest, declaring a victory for Mullen. It was a moment of electrifying action that left the Octogan’s spectators on the edge of their seats with their mouths wide open.
Winner: Pat Mullen (stoppage in 1st)
Uni of Sheffield 5-1 Sheffield Hallam
7. Will McDermott (UoS) vs. Ollie Creighton (SHU)
With Hallam falling victim to a cruel scoreline, Creighton stepped onto the canvas with confidence, hoping to mount a much-needed comeback for his university.
Both fighters displayed a fierce determination to establish dominance early on. Creighton seemed to favour body shots and maintained a very high tempo throughout the round.
McDermott came close to staggering the Hallam man with some powerful and aggressive punches before Creighton unleashed a relentless onslaught like a monster, throwing a constant barrage of punches.
In the second round, Creighton continued to press forward with an overwhelming amount of confidence, seemingly unphased by anything his counterpart threw at him.
Despite McDermott’s strong efforts, Creighton showcased excellent defensive skills and managed to corner the Uni Of man before unleashing a flurry of punches, prompting the referee to wave off the match.
The bout ended with a technical knockout, which highlighted Creighton’s formidable performance and unwavering determination.
Winner: Ollie Creighton (stoppage in 2nd)
Uni of Sheffield 5-2 Sheffield Hallam
Interval: the University of Sheffield with a comfortable cushion over Hallam at the break.
8. Holly Steward (UoS) vs. Sophie Johnson (SHU):
Following a 20-minute intermission, proceedings were back underway, with the second female outing of the night taking centre stage.
The bout began quietly, with both fighters cautiously finding their rhythm. A flurry of punches erupted as they eased into the match, and then moments later, both fighters intensified their attack with another series of swings.
In round two, a calm atmosphere prevailed, as neither fighter wanted to overcommit. Steward managed to land some brilliant blows to her opponent’s face, but Johnson responded with a quick combination just before the bell rang.
The third round started with a lively tempo, as Johnson dominated and took control of the area. However, Steward rallied towards the end, landing more punches than before. The Uni Of representative was oozing confidence, and with the crowd by her side, she finished the bout on top.
The judges awarded a unanimous decision in favour of Steward, who added another point to her university’s tally.
Winner: Holly Steward (unanimous decision)
Uni of Sheffield 6-2 Sheffield Hallam
9. Oliver Scuffam (UoS) vs. Jacob Lerup-McCarthy (SHU)
The bout kicked off with Lerup-McCarthy launching a rapid assault, bombarding Scuffam with a great series of crosses.
Soon after, a brief pause ensued as Scuffam needed to retie his hair, during which Lerup-McCarthy seized the opportunity to energise the crowd.
However, Scuffam returned with vigour, employing a quick and clever combination to counter his opponent’s aggression. His precise strikes caught Lerup-McCarthy off guard multiple times, but the Hallam man continued, and despite his grit and determination, Scuffam appeared to have the edge.
The following round saw Scuffam showcase immense skill, increasing the frequency of punches and causing his counterpart to struggle. Although he continued to fight valiantly, a bloody nose began to indicate the outcome of the match.
In the final round, the blue side’s dominance became evident. Lerup-McCarthy had demonstrated an applaudable level of resilience, but Scuffam remained composed and landed far more punches, ultimately securing the victory.
Winner: Oliver Scuffam (unanimous decision)
Uni of Sheffield 7-2 Sheffield Hallam
At this point, the University of Sheffield’s dominance was as clear as day. Their fighters were full of confidence and were eager to continue their demolition of Hallam.
10. Esteban Guzman Benitez (UoS) vs. James Kaul (SHU):
In the next outing of the night, both fighters displayed remarkable punching quality early on, with a fast-paced exchange delighting the crowd. Despite solid attempts from both fighters, Guzman Benitez asserted dominance throughout the majority of the first round.
The next round mirrored the intensity of the first, with Guzman Benitez maintaining a swift tempo and targeting low.
However, a powerful hook from Kaul resulted in a knockdown, leading to the referee issuing an eight-count. Despite getting back up after, Guzman Benitez faced further dominance from Kaul.
Round three escalated into a brawl, with both fighters unleashing an unreal flurry of punches in a late attempt to sway the judges.
Solid blows were exchanged, which reflected the fierce competition in the hearts of both fighters. In the end, Guzman Benitez secured the win in a split decision. While the fight was closely contested, the Uni Of man’s efforts proved just enough to clinch victory.
Winner: Guzman Benitez (split decision)
Uni of Sheffield 8-2 Sheffield Hallam
11. Aaron Bell (UoS) vs. Shedrak Osungbesan (SHU):
With the University of Sheffield’s lead getting out of hand and leaving Hallam with no chance of a comeback, the final two Hallam fighters were boxing for personal pride.
This one began at a high tempo, with Osungbesan exuding confidence and receiving enthusiastic support from the crowd that was chanting his name. He asserted dominance by landing a significantly larger number of punches and demonstrating enormous strength.
Round two saw Osungbesan continue to control, although Bell remained active in the contest. Despite his efforts, Hallam’s man continued to land punches and was kept afloat by the crowd’s encouragement.
As round three unfolded, Bell began to show signs of injury as he bled from the face, but he demonstrated remarkable resilience by continuing to engage in the fight, dodging some of Osungbesan’s attacks.
Ultimately, the red side emerged victorious with a joint decision from the judges.
Winner: Shedrak Osungbesan (unanimous decision)
Uni of Sheffield 8-3 Sheffield Hallam
12. Jack Whiteman (UoS) vs. Adam Green (SHU):
The final bout of the evening, the main event, arrived with heightened anticipation.
From the outset, both fighters showcased immense speed, footwork, and power, displaying remarkable ingenuity in their approaches. It was Whiteman who initially dominated with an array of solid attacks in the first round.
The next round saw another swift start, with both fighters exemplifying why they held the spotlight as the main event. The intensity escalated into a ferocious brawl, with both fighters maintaining a relentless pace of swinging punches.
Round three continued as an even affair, with both fighters fully committed to seizing victory. Despite Whiteman’s slight advantage with a head shot, the fight remained tightly contested, with neither boxer emerging as the clear winner.
In a split decision, Green claimed the victory, concluding the main event with a hard-fought contest.
Winner: Adam Green (split decision)
Final score: Uni of Sheffield 8-4 Sheffield Hallam
In the end, the University of Sheffield etched their names into the Varsity history books with a thoroughly deserved victory on the night, doubling Hallam’s four wins with an impressive eight.
Varsity continues on 17 April with the much anticipated Sports Park Day.
All Image Credits: Becca Symns-Rowley